The Messenger
by csjr
Summary: Inspired by a line in the S2 finale. Following the collapse of the Farr trial, Clive finds himself in danger.


_"Which embassies, Jodi Farr?"_

_"I can't tell you that. Clive St John Reader."_

Clive was shaking. His hands wrapped instinctively around his chest as he sat shivering in the chair they had put him in.

How long had he been here? It must have only been a few hours ago that he was having drinks with Martha, Billy, Jake, nearly the whole of Chambers, celebrating Caroline Warwick joining Shoe Lane. He'd had too much wine to drive home and had got in a taxi that was sitting outside the pub. It had taken him a while to notice that the cab wasn't going to his place. Once it had arrived in the deserted car park, he had been frogmarched from the passenger side by two men wearing balaclavas. The car had driven straight off. The driver hadn't once spoken to him. He'd thought about trying to make a run for it, but knew he would be no match for the men holding him. Now he was alone in the warehouse they had brought him to. He'd heard them lock the door as they'd left. His phone was still in his pocket but it had no signal. He had no idea where he was.

He had been stupid, thinking the Farrs wouldn't come after him. He had felt Jodi eyeballing him in court, heard the implied threat as Farr had used his middle name, yet he'd still gone ahead and exposed his affair with his brother's wife, as if he didn't know how dangerous the Farrs were, as if wearing a wig and gown somehow made him invincible.

He heard a car outside and tensed up. Who was coming? There was no siren. It wasn't the police. Before he could decide whether or not to shout for help, the door opened and Jodi himself walked in. He looked bigger, somehow, than he had in court. He was flanked by two men and his face was calm. What frightened Clive the most was that the other men were no longer masked.

"What do you want?" Clive blurted, before Farr could say anything.

"Hello, Mr Reader." Jodi moved over to where Clive sat and knelt before him, his eyes fixed on his face. "It really upset my brother, what you said in court. My family means everything to me."

"Blame Micky Joy, not me."

"Micky will get what's coming to him. This is your turn."

Clive looked around for some means of escape. In a momentary panic he shoved back the chair and made a lunge for the door, but was pushed back immediately by the two flunkies as Jodi picked up the chair and Clive was forced back down again. Thinking of how Brendon Kay had died, Clive broke into petrified sobs. He had never felt so terrified before.

Jodi moved in and pulled Clive against his shoulder, making "_shh, shh_" noises.

* * *

Martha had an instinctive feeling that something was wrong when Clive wasn't at Shoe Lane the next day. She checked his diary in case he was in court or visiting a client, but there was nothing. She tried calling him and got no answer. She strode into the clerks' room.

"Billy? Any idea where Clive is?"

"Probably on his way, Miss."

Martha frowned. "Clive's never late."

"Do you want me to call him, Miss?" Jake offered.

"Yes. Keep calling him." Martha went back into her own room.

By lunchtime there was still no word from Clive and Martha was getting seriously afraid. She had sent several texts and left a couple of voice mails as well as getting Jake to call him at home every half hour.

"Where did you last see him last night?" Martha questioned Billy.

"Outside the pub. He said he was getting a taxi."

"So he might not have made it home?"

"Maybe he did have plans today. Something to do with his hearing."

Martha shook her head. "This has something to do with Jodi Farr."

Billy sighed. "Why would Farr go after Mr Reader? Mickey Joy was the one grassing him up."

Martha's voice shook. "He blinded a man for asking him to move his car. You think he wouldn't hurt Clive for announcing that he was having an affair with his brother's wife?"

Eventually Billy agreed to go over to Clive's house and see if there was any sign of a disturbance. Martha tried to focus on her work but couldn't shake the fear she was feeling. What would she do if something happened to Clive? She remembered how she had felt when he had fallen down the stairs in Chambers. She'd been angry with him then but the anger had evaporated when she had seen him in pain and clutching his knee. The thought of him being hurt, really hurt, made her stomach turn.

Martha jumped when her phone rang and she saw it was Billy calling. "Billy?"

"Miss, I'm at Mr Reader's place." There was a pause. "No sign of him or his bike."

"Thanks, Billy."

Hanging up, Martha drove straight over to the police station. The police were surprisingly helpful once Martha mentioned the Farrs. They agreed to pick Jodi Farr up and see if he knew anything.

Martha sat in the corner of the police station, her hands turning over her handbag. Her head jerked up as Jodi Farr entered, handcuffed and escorted by two policemen. He nodded at Martha as he passed. She sat for what seemed like ages, images of Clive being tortured intruding as she waited. Finally an officer emerged from the door leading to the cells.

"He'll only talk to you."

Martha entered the police cell and stood opposite Jodi, feeling as sick as she always did in his presence. Jodi smiled, looking genuinely pleased to see her.

"I never thanked you properly, for finding out who the informer was."

"Where's Clive?"

"Forget him. He's gone."

"Is he alive?" Martha tried to keep her voice steady.

"I can't lose face. You know that, Martha. Your boy humiliated me, humiliated my whole family."

"He was doing his job. What have you done to him?"

Jodi looked down at his hands. "He's not hurt. Yet."

"What do you want from me?" Martha's voice was pleading.

Jodi sat back. "You agree to represent me on any future charges, and I'll tell you where your boy is."

Martha crossed her arms, ready to negotiate. "I want him completely unharmed."

"Do we have a deal?"

Martha pulled a pen and paper out of her bag and held them out. "You have my word. Tell me where my friend is."

Just as Jodi was writing down the address, the door swung open and the police officer entered. "Mr Farr, we need to ask you some more questions. About a murder."

Martha's blood ran cold. "What murder?"

The officer kept his eyes on Jodi. "Your older brother has been found dead at his home."

Jodi laughed. "Well, nothing to do with me. I've been here, haven't I? Assuming he died recently, of course." He looked at Martha. "What do you reckon? Can you get me off a murder charge?"

"You bastard." Martha exhaled.

Jodi was still holding the pen. "Do you want the address or not?"

* * *

Clive sat in the darkness, his hands working at the ropes now binding him to the chair. His body was exhausted from crying but the desire to survive kept him determined to get free, even though he knew it was futile. It was only a matter of time before they came back and killed him.

It was lighter outside now, he could see through the blindfold that it was daylight. He'd heard cars passing outside and had tried to scream through the tape across his mouth, shuffling the chair to make as much noise as he could, but it was no good.

Finally his hands came free. He felt for his phone but it was gone, they must have taken it when they'd tied him up. Then he heard the welcome sound of a siren, followed by the sound of the door being broken down. Was he hallucinating?

Martha ran into the building shouting Clive's name. She saw him sitting in the middle of the room, his head slumped back. Martha ran to him and pulled off the blindfold, terrified of what she would see. "Clive? Are you hurt?" She pulled the ropes away from him.

Clive winced as she pulled the tape off his mouth. "I'm fine," he said weakly.

Martha burst into tears and threw her arms around him. "Hey, hey," he brought up his arms and wrapped them around her, stroking her hair. "It's okay. I'm okay."

"I thought I'd lost you," she sobbed, pulling back and stroking his face.

He cupped her face. "Never."


End file.
